As we work to be your trusted health partner for life, Holy Cross Hospital now offers Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) procedures with the goal of reducing your pain and discomfort after surgery, while getting you moving faster.

This program is different from traditional care and requires that you take an active role in the healing process. Your willingness to do so will help speed your recovery so that you can go home safe, soon.

The ERAS team includes: physicians (i.e. anesthesiologists and surgeons); nurses from various areas of the hospital; information technology Associates; and registered dieticians.

When does ERAS come into play?

Currently, the following cases use ERAS procedures:

•Bariatric Surgery

•Colorectal Surgery

•Pancreatic Surgery

What difference does ERAS make?

ERAS allows for:

•Patients to eat a light meal up to 8 hours before surgery

•Patients to drink clear liquids up to 2 hours before surgery

•Fewer tubes postoperatively

•Patients will be able to eat and drink soon after surgery

•Increased focus on getting the patient up and walking, often the day of surgery

AND

•Your doctor will be using more than one method of pain management. Multiple methods can actually reduce the amount of medications necessary to relieve pain, and can minimize uncomfortable side-effects.

As a spin-off from this, the nurses on our surgical floor will be assembling a group of volunteer "Walkers" to walk with our patients.